Moonlight and Mayhem by Molly Fitz & Trixie Silvertale

Author:Molly Fitz & Trixie Silvertale [Fitz, Molly & Silvertale, Trixie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Whiskered Mysteries

14

Mia’s loud voice echoed from the ballroom. “Take your seats,” she boomed. “We begin in five, four, three, two . . .”

The time had finally come. No one wanted to miss a minute of the excitement, including me. Any last empty seats quickly filled in.

Mia slammed the gavel she’d borrowed from a judge she knew, and they wheeled out the first item—a large mother-of-pearl inlaid jewelry box. The crowd hushed as she read the description, made a joke, and began the bidding at the number I’d requested.

The energy of the crowd was palpable. As I moved around the room, it became obvious that I’d picked the right person for the job of auctioneer. Mia was hamming it up for the audience and egging the bidders on with friendly jokes and thinly veiled bribes.

By the end, the large mother-of-pearl inlaid jewelry box went for twice what I’d hoped. And so did the next two items. This day was even more spectacular than I’d dreamed it would be. I would be able to get some new tires for Blue Bell. Or . . . I blinked as a thought struck me. Maybe even something sleeker than that old nearly broken-down pick-up truck. Something more like Sydney deserved to drive.

The crowd laughed about some joke Mia told, and they brought out the next item. I needed to check on the others before settling in to observe whatever bidding war we could get going between the well-moneyed rivals. Since it was the most unique and high-dollar item, the dentist’s cabinet would be the next-to-last item presented.

Slipping along the back of the crowd, I made my way toward Cheryl and Joe. She waved eagerly when she saw me approaching. I smiled. “How did you guys do?”

She grinned from ear to ear and patted Joe on the back. “Joe was fantastic. He kept pushing the haunted mansion angle, and telling folks what great Christmas gifts everything would make. We sold out before Mia even started the live auction. I lost count, but I know we made over two thousand dollars.”

Joe beamed. “I just made a pass down the rows of silent auction items, and there are some hefty sums on those bidding sheets. You really know what you’re doing, Sydney.”

It felt good to be complimented for something I’d done all on my own. And it didn’t hurt to look absolutely fantastic while receiving the compliment. I thanked them and returned my attention to the live auction. Items were going fast, and the bids were nicely bloated, too. When Mia finally got to the dentist’s cabinet, I held my breath.

She opened the bidding at five thousand, and Lucas Aconite immediately bid ten. Several people clapped. Kenny Holt topped that with a bid of fifteen thousand, and the crowd gasped. I stifled a grin. This is what I’d wanted. With these two expensive egos in the crowd, I’d hoped for the best, and they had not disappointed.

No one else was even in the mix. The two power-mad Manhattanites

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